If the ladder truck from Chico Fire Department’s Station No. 1 had been in your neighborhood Wednesday, you might have casually noticed that both of its crew members were women.

Seeing females in roles as emergency responders is nothing new. And yet, Wednesday was the first time Chico fire had ever teamed up two women on the same crew.

Some called it history in the making, at least locally.

The female firefighters, Gina Osburn and Karen Brose, called it a pretty good shift.

“I’d have no problem if this was a permanent assignment,” said Osburn, a six-year veteran of the department. “Liking the crew you work with is the top priority, and I like Karen,” she said.

Both women are mothers and have that in common, but both also said they’re used to being the only female on a fire crew and get along great with the men.

“No matter what the circumstances are, you still have to get the job done,” Osburn said.

“I think it’s great,” said shift Capt. Brian Conry Wednesday. “I’m kind of excited to be the first Chico captain to have two women in my crew.”

Brose, who joined the department over five years ago, was promoted to engineer last month. She’s on a probationary period for the job, which involves driving fire engines and ladder trucks, and directing hose lays to fire scenes. She formerly worked out of fire station No. 4 on Notre Dame Boulevard, but was on an overtime shift Wednesday and just happened to be assigned to the same crew as Osburn.

Brose and Osburn agreed that having two women in the same fire house at the same time wouldn’t be a problem. Even though station No. 1, the oldest in the city, has open sleeping quarters and communal showers, Osburn said firefighters respect each other’s privacy. When Osburn worked in Oroville, she said special sleeping and hygiene arrangements had to be made for her in the firehouse.

“I felt kind of uncomfortable about it, like it was putting someone out,” she said.